Pneumatic-despatch apparatus.



T. BEMIS.

PNEUMATIC DBSPATGH APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 13, 1911. RENEWED SEPT. 15, 1913. 1,090,375.

Patented Mar. 17, 191i 8 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

{ Tb INVENTOR.

I omas Bemia.

KW 55% a a ATTORNEY.

T. BBMIS.

PNEUMATIC DBSPATOH APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 13, 1911. RENEWED SEPT. 15. 1913. 1 090 375Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E310 Figll Fig12- Z8 WITNESSES: INVENTOR.

T. BEMIS.

PNEUMATIC DESPATGH APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED 11017.13, 1911. RENEWED SEPT. 15. 1913. 1,090,375Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

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Thomas Bern/'6. By

6mm? WW4 A TTORNEY.

THOMAS BEMIS, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA,

PNEUMATIC-DESPATGH APPARATUS.

Application filed November 13,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 1'7, 1914.

1911, Serial No. 660,106. Renewed September 15, 1913. Serial No.789,898.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS BEMIS, a citizenof the United States, and a resident of Indianapolis, county of Marion,and State of Indiana, have invented a certain useful Pneumatic-DespatchApparatus; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description thereof, referenoebeing had to the accompanyingdrawlngs.

The object of this invention is to improve the construction of pneumaticdespatch ap paratus of the kind disclosed in my former applications forLetters Patent, Serial No. 428,7 34, filed April 23, 1908 and Serial No.435,414, filed May 28, 1908, particularly the latter. In this typeofpneumatic despatch apparatus the operating expense of the apparatus isreduced by limiting the operation thereof to the portionof the apparatuswhich is in actual use and to the actual time when it is in use. Hence,means are provided for retarding the closing of the door or main valveand timing such closure so as to insure the conveyance of the carriersthrough the apparatus to its destination. "The door or main valve isclosed by a weighted member which is controlled by a gravity piston, andthe descension of said piston is controlled by timing means and thereturn by the suction in the despatch apparatus, and the return of thepiston also returns the weighted member from its valve closing position.v

The nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanyingdrawings and the following description and claims:

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View of the terminal. Fig. 2 is acentral vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the doorclosed. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the paddle and trip lever foropening the air valve. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the terminal. Fig.5 is the same as Fig. 2, with the door in open position preliminary toits closing movement. Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line 66 ofFig. 2. Fig. 7 is a horizontal section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 2. Fig. 8is a section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 9. Fig. 9 is a plan view of thelower end member of the timing cylinder. Fig. 10 is a vertical sectionof the parts showing the means for holding open the valve which controlsthe communication between the insert valve and timing cylinder. Fig. 11is a section on the line 1111 of Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is the same as Fig.10, showing the parts in a different position. Fig. 13 is a horizontaltransverse section on the line 13-13 of Fig. 14. Fig. 14 is a rearelevation of the device as shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 15 is a verticalsection on the line 15--15 of Fig. 1.

In detail 10 represents a carrier and inlet tube of the terminal at thecentral or cashiers station of the pneumatic despatch apparatus. Themouth, of the terminal is closed by a door or main valve 11, which has apair of ears 12 pivoted on a pin 13 on an extension 14 from the tube 10.The main valve 11 is closed by the weighted member 15, which isfulcrumed on the pin 13, and when said weighted member descends, itengages a rear flange 16 of the main valve 11 and closes the valve. Fig.5 shows this part of the mechanism when the closing movement of thevalve 11 has just started. It is to be understood that after the mainvalve has thus been closed, said weighted member 15 is lifted by meanshereafterexplained to a position shown in Fig. 2 so as not to interferewith the opening of the valve. The

main valve will be held closed by the suction in the apparatus until itis opened by the operator who strikes the projection 56 of the mainvalve and throws it open and inserts a carrier, not shown. Theconstruction of the apparatus is such as to hold the door open longenough for that carrier to reach its destination, and to this end therelease of the weighted member 15 from its elevated position is timed.

Assuming the parts to be in their condition immediately after the mainvalve has been closed by the weighted member, said weighted member ismoved from its lower position to its upper position by the piston 22 inthe cylinder 21, which cylinder is secured to a casting 121 and saidcasting holds and surrounds the tubular portion 10 of the terminal, seeFig. 5. The cylinder 10 is parallel with the inlet passageway of theterminal, and it has a bottom member 20 which closes its lower end andthrough which a piston rod 25 moves. Said piston rod extends looselythrough an opening in the upper end of a bracket 26, which is pivoted at27 to the weighted member 15, and the lower end of the piston rod 25 hasan enlarged portion 28, so that when the piston goes upward thisenlarged portion 28 of the piston rod engages the top of the bracket 26and lifts the weighted member 15 to its elevated position, as shown inFig. 2, and when the weighted member reaches the elevated position, theprojection 18 therefrom is caught by the catch lever 17, which ispivoted between its ends at 19 between ears extending down from thebottom member of the cylinder 21.

The piston 22 is lifted by suction through the feed line or airexhausting means 133 from a suction drum (not shown). To this end thereis a conduit or air passageway leading from the feed line 133 to theupper end of the cylinder 21. It consists of a chamber 32, which is incommunication with the feed line 133, and by means of a port 34 is alsoin communication with the chamber 31 above the chamber 32, and thechamber 31 is in communication with the upper end of the cylinder 21through a tube 30. The main portion of this tube is shown by dottedlines in Fig. 2. The exhaust of air through said conduit from the upperend of the cylinder 21 causes outer air to enter the lower end of saidchamber through a port 60 in the bottom member 20 of said cylinder andforces the piston 22 to the upper end of the cylinder. The port 60 isclosed by a ball valve 61, which is held from escape by the bar 62. Thisball valve 61 tends to re sist somewhat the incoming air, and,therefore, prevents too rapid upward movement of the piston 22.

The port 34 between the two chambers 31 and 32 is opened and closed bythe air outlet valve 36 on the stem 37 which extends down into a chamberin the lower part of the terminal and to one side of the carrierpassageway. It there rests normally on one arm of a trip lever 38. Saidlever is actuated by a projection 39 on the end of a paddle 40, which isfulcrumed at 11 within the terminal and to one side of the carrierpassageway, and so as to extend across the terminal, as shown in Fig. 2,when the main valve is closed and there is no carrier or air movementthrough the terminal. In that position it holds the valve 36 open andpermits the air exhaust in the apparatus to lift the piston 22 andthereby the weighted member 15. The valve 36 is held open after it hasbeen moved 11131 ard by a trip lever 50 fulcrumed at 51 to theintermediate portion 121 of the apparatus and having a biting edge 52adapted to engage corrugations 53 on the valve stem 57 and hold it inits upper position. The outer end of the trip lever 50 is yoked andextends astride the piston rod 25. When the piston reaches its upperlimit of movement, it causes the disengagement of the catch 50 from thevalve stem 37 by reason of the bracket 26 being lifted up against theouter end of the catch lever 50.

Assuming the parts now to be in the position shown in Fig. 2, as aresult ofthe foregoing part of the operation, when the main valve isopened and a carrier inserted, the paddle 40 is moved out of the carrierpassageway to one side and releases the trip lever 38, so that the valve36 closes. The main valve is then open and the air moves through theterminal and apparatus for the conveyance of the carrier. The door must,however, be left open long enough to permit the carrier to reach itsdestination, and this is accomplished by the following means: The mainvalve will not close until the weighted lever 15 drops down, and itcannot drop down as long as it is held up by the catch 17 untildislodged by descent of the piston which is allowed to descend slowly byair entering the upper end of the cylinder 21 slowly through the her 31and the horizontal passageway 130 leading from a vent 131, see Fig. 13.This vent is controlled bya valve 132 so as to admit air slowly. Airescapes from the underside of the piston 22 by reason of the loose fitof the piston rod 25 in the lower end 20 of the cylinder, for then theball valve 61 is closed. Said valve 61 cotiperates with the vent 131 indelaying and timing the downward movement of the piston 20 so as to givethe carrier, which has been inserted, time to reach its destination.When the piston 22 reaches its lower limit of'movement, it engages thepin 23 extending through the bottom member 20 of weighted member-15drops down and closes the main valve after its destination. When theoperator inserts a second carrier before the main valve has shut, aftera previous carrier has been in-' serted, so that the paddle lO'cannotdrop down across the passageway and open the passageway 30 and cham-.

the carrier has reached the cylinder,and said pin releases the catchlever 17, so that theair outlet valve 36, an additional trip 65 is 7provided so as to The trip 65 is mounted in the lower part of theterminal and its free end projects into the main passageway and ismaintained in such position by gravity. It is curved backwardly andoutwardly so that the extreme end thereof will engage a downwardlyextending arm of the trip lever 38 struck by a carrier, it 38 from theposition shown in Fig. position shown in Fig. 2, and thus elevate andunseat the valve 36, the same as if padwill actuate trip lever beengaged by the second carrier, and it lifts the valve 36.

5 to the and when the trip is dle 10 had dropped across the terminalpassage. However, when the second carrier is not inserted before themain valve is closed, such trip is unnecessary. V

A stop 70 is provided; which is pivoted at 71 in an extension 72 of theterminal so that the free end of said stop falls by gravity and projectsinto the passageway. As the car-.

rler goes up it pushes the stop 70 out of the way to one side, but ifthe carrier should happen to drop back after it has started up, it wouldbe caught by the stop 70. This occurs when the operator at the other endof the line opens her valve before the carrier gets out of the verticalportion of the despatch tube joining the terminal where the carrier wasinserted. Often the operator at the other end of the line opens andcloses her valve so quickly that the paddle 40 can only get started onits downward movement across the passageway through the terminal, and itis desirable that any such sliding movement of the paddle shall besutiicient to open the valve 36, and for that reason one arm of the triplever 38 is made longer than the other, long enough to project intoclose proximity with the projection 39 of the paddle 41, so that saidprojection 39 will begin to actuate the arm and trip 38 as soon as thepaddle starts downward, and the catch lever 50 engaging the valve stem37 will hold the valve 36 open to the end to which it may have beenopened by such partial movement of the paddle 40. In the practicaloperation of the device this is a very important feature, for otherwiseoften the valve 36 would not be opened by the quick opening and 010s ingof the operators valve at the other end of the line, and in such eventthe piston 22 would not be lifted and the device not operate.

Sometimes the carrier gets clogged in the line, as when the cashier letspapers stick out of the carrier and for other reasons. In that event itis necessary to apply an air exhausting means at the inlet of theterminal and in order to draw the carrier backward through it and out.It is, therefore, necessary, in such event, that the paddle 10 and thetrip 65 and catch should all be out of the path of the returningcarrier. Therefore, the paddle 10 is loosely mounted on the pin 41 andone side of the paddle 40 has a rectangular recess 14:0 in it in which asquared portion 17 5 of the pivot 41 is adapted to be inserted bypushing the pivot to the right from the position shown in Fig. 6. Togive it this movement, however, it is necessary to remove the lockingpin 7 6, which extends through a flange on the terminal into the. pin41. By removing the locking pin 76 and pushing the pivot pin 41 to theright one can readily turn the paddle 10 to its upper position out ofthe way of the carrier, and then by clamping the nut 77 which screws onsaid pivot 4C1 the paddle will be held in that position. Likewise thetrip 60 is turned out of the way by an arm 166 on the end of the pivot66 and it is held in that outer position by a locking pin 7 9 extendinginto the pivot 66 and through a flange 78. The stop 70 is also turnedout of the way by turning its pivot 71 and held out in a similar way.

I claim as my invention:

1. A pneumatic despatch apparatus including a terminal having an inlettube, a main valve for closing the same, a weighted member for closingsaid main valve, means actuated by the air exhaust in the apparatus forelevating said weighted member, means for catching said weighted memberwhen elevated, and means actuated by said elevating means for releasingsaid catching means, and timing means for controlling the releasingmovement of said elevating means.

2. A pneumatic despatch apparatus in cluding a terminal having an inlettube, an exhaust connection, an air cylinder provided with communicationbetween the exhaust connection and the upper end of said cylinder andalso provided with a reduced timing air inlet, a valve for opening andclosing the communication between the exhaust connection and saidcylinder, means operable within the terminal for opening said valve, amain valve for closing the inlet to the terminal, a weighted member forclosing said main valve, a piston in said cylinder, a piston rodconnected with said weighted member so as to lift it when the pistonascends, a catch for engaging and holding said weighted member in itsupper position, and means actuated by the piston as it reaches its lowerlimit of movement for releasing said catch.

3. A pneumatic despatch apparatus including a terminal having an inlettube, an exhaust connection, an air cylinder provided with communication between the exhaust connection and the upper end of saidcylinder and also provided with a reduced timing air inlet and alsohaving an air port atoits lower end, a ball valve for closing the portand lower end of the cylinder, a valve for opening and closing thecommunication between the exhaust connection and cylinder, means operable within the terminal for opening said valve, a main valve forclosing the inlet to the terminal, a weighted member for closing saidmain valve, a piston in said cyliu der, a piston rod connected with saidweighted member so as to lift it when the piston ascends, a catch forengaging and holding said weighted member in its upper position, andmeans actuated by the piston as it reaches its lower limit of movementfor releasing said catch.

i. A pneumatic despatch apparatus including a terminal having an inlettube, an exhaust connection, a main valve for closing the same, aweighted member pivoted to said terminal for closing said main valve, avertical cylinder with the upper end in communication with the exhaustconnection, a valve for controlling said communication, avalve-controlled inlet for air at the lower end of said cylinder, apiston in said cylinder, a piston rod operating through the lower end ofthe cylinder, a connection between said weighted member and piston rodso that the piston rod will lift the weighted member but can returnindependently of the weighted member, a catch pivotally mounted in thelower end of the cylinder and adapted to engage and hold the weightedmember when elevated, means extending through the lower end of thecylinder and adapted to be actuated by the piston at the lower end ofits movement for releasing said catch, and means for slowly admittingair into the upper end of said cylinder.

5. A pneumatic despatch apparatus including a terminal having an inlettube, an exhaust connection, a main valve for closing the same, aweighted member pivoted to said terminal for closing said main valve, aVertical cylinder with the upper end in communication with the exhaustconnect-i011, a valve for controlling said communication, avalve-controlled inlet for air at the lower end of said cylinder, apiston in said cylinder, a piston rod operating through the lower end ofthe cylinder and having an enlarged lower end, a bracket pivoted to saidweighted member with an opening through the upper end thereof for saidpiston rod, a catch pivotally mounted to the lower end of the cylinderand adapted to en- 'a 'e and hold the weighted member when elevated.means extending through the lower end of the cylinder and adapted to beactuated by the piston at the lower end of its movement for releasingsaid catch, and means for slowly admitting air into the upper end ofsaid cylinder.

6. A pneumatic despatch apparatus including a terminal having an inlettube, a main valve for closing the same, a weighted member pivoted tosaid terminal for closing said main valve, an exhaust connection, avertical cylinder with the upper end in communication with the exhaustconnection, a valve for controlling said communication, avalve-controlled inlet for air at the lower end of said cylinder, apiston in said cylinder, a piston rod operating through the lower endor" the cylinder, a connection between said wei hted member and pistonrod so that the piston rod will lift the weighted member but can returnindependently of the weighted member, a catch pivotally mounted to thelower end of the cylinder and adapted to engage and hold the weightedmember when ele ated, means extending through the lower end of thecylinder and adapted to be actuated by the piston at the lower end ofits movement for releasing said catch, means for slowly admitting airinto the upper end of said cylinder, and means within the terminaladapted to he moved by gravity when the movement of air diminishes inthe terminal and cause the opening of the valve controlling thecommunication between the cylinder and the air exhausting means.

7 A pneumatic despatch apparatus including a terminal having an inlettube, a main valve for closing the same, a weighted member pivoted tosaid terminal for closing said main valve, an exhaust connection, avertical cylinder with the upper end in communication with the exhaustconnection, a valve for controlling said communication, avalve-controlled inlet for air at the lower end of said cylinder, apiston in said cylinder, a piston rod operating through the lower end ofthe cylinder, a connection between said weighted member and piston rodso that the piston rod will lift the weighted member but can returnindependently of the weighted member, a catch pivotally mounted to thelower end of the cylinder and adapted to engage and hold the weightedmember when elevated, means extending through the lower end of thecylinder and adapted to be actuated by the piston at the lower end ofits movement for releasing said catch, means for slowly admitting airinto the upper end of said cylinder, astem for the valve which controlsthe communication between the exhaust connection and the cylinder andprovided with corrugations thereon, means for actuating said valve stemand lifting the same to unseat the valve, and a gravity actuated catchfor engaging the corrugations in said valve stem when it is released andholding the valve open.

8. A pneumatic despatch apparatus including a terminal having an inlettube, a main valve for closing the same, a weighted member pivoted tosaid terminal for closing said main valve, an exhaust connection, avertical cylinder with the upper end in communication with the exhaustconnection, a valve for controlling said communication, avalve-controlled inlet for air at the lower end of said cylinder, apiston in said cylinder, a piston rod operating through the lower end ofthe cylinder, a connection between said weighted member and piston rodso that the piston rod will lift the weighted member but can returnindependently of the weighted member, a catch pivotally mounted to thelower end of the cylinder and adapted to engage and hold the weightedmember when elevated, means extending through the lower end of thecylinder and adapted to be actuated by the piston at the lower end ofits movement for releasing said catch, means for slowly admitting air ofsaid cylinder, a stem for the valve which controls the communicationbetween the exhaust connection and the cylinder and provided withcorrugations thereon, means for actuating said valve stem and liftingthe same to unseat the valve, a gravity actuated catch for engaging thecorrugations in said into'the upper end valve stem when it is raised andholding the valve open, said catch projecting into proximity with saidpiston rod so that the elevation of the piston rod will cause therelease of said valve stem catch.

9. A pneumatic despatch apparatus including a terminal having an inlettube, a main valve for closing the same, a weighted member for closingsaid main valve after it has been opened, an exhaust connection, acylinder, a piston therein, means operated by the piston for controllingthe action of the weighted member for closing the main valve, a conduitfrom the upper end of the cylinder through a valve chamber to theexhaust connection, a valve for closing said communication which isprovided with a downwardly extending stem, a pivoted trip lever with onearm extending in position when actuated to elevate the valve stem andopen the air outlet valve, a paddle fulcrumed within the terminal inposition to be moved out of the path of the carrier by the air passingthrough the terminal, and a projection on said paddle engaging said triplever and actuating the same to open the air valve after the paddleleaves the vertical position and starts downward across the passagewaythrough the terminal.

10. A pneumatic despatch apparatus including a terminal having an inlettube, a main valve for closing the same, a weighted member for closingsaid main valve after it has been opened, an exhaust connection, acylinder secured to the terminal, a piston therein, means operated bythe piston for controlling the action of the weighted memher for closingthe main valve, a conduit from the upper end of the cylinder through avalve chamber to the exhaust connection, a valve for closing saidcommunication which is provided with a downwardly extending stem,apivoted trip lever with one arm thereof extending in position whenactuated to elevate the valve stem and open the air outlet valve, apaddle fulcrumed within the terminal in position to be moved out of thepath of the carrier by the air passing through the terminal, aprojection on said paddle engaging said trip lever and actuating thesame to open the air valve after the paddle leaves the vertical positionand starts downward across the passageway through the terminal, saidvalve stem having threads on it, a catch lever pivoted at one end with abiting edge for engaging the threads on the valve stem and supportingthe valve stem and valve, and means for releasing said catch lever whensaid weight ed member is elevated.

11. A pneumatic despatch apparatus including a terminal having an inlettube, a main valve for closing the same, a weigh ed member for closingsaid main valve after it has been opened, an exhaust connection,

a cylinder, a piston therein, means operated by the piston .forcontrolling the action of the weighted member forclosing the main valve,a conduit from the upper end of the cylinder through a valve chamber tothe eX- haust connection, a valve for closing said communication whichis provided with a downwardly extending stem, a pivoted. trip lever withone arm thereof extending in position 'when'actuated to elevate thevalve stem and open the air valve outlet and h aving another and longerarm, a paddle fulcrumed within the terminal in position to be moved outof the path of the carrier by the air passing through the terminal, aprojection on said paddle engaging the longer arm of said trip lever andactuating the same to open the air outlet valve after the paddle leavesthe vertical position an d starts downward across the passageway throughthe terminal, said valve stem having threads on it, a catch leverpivoted at one end with a biting edge for engaging the threads on thevalve stem and supporting the stem and valve, and means for releasingsaid catch lever when said weighted member is elevated.

12. A pneumatic despatch apparatus including a terminal having an inlettube, a main valve for closing the same, a weighted member for closingsaid main valve after it has been opened, an exhaust connection, acylinder, a piston therein, means operated by the piston for controllingthe action of the weighted member for closing the main valve, a conduitfrom the upper end of the cylinder through a valve chamber to theexhaust connection, a valve for closing said communication which isprovided with a downwardly extending stem, a pivoted trip lever with onearm extending in position when actuated to elevate the valve stem andopen the air outlet valve, a paddle fulcrumed within the terminal inposition to be moved out of the path of the carrier by the air passingthrough the terminal, a projection on said paddle engaging said triplever and actuating the same to open the air outlet valve after thepaddle leaves the vertical position and starts downward across thepassageway through the terminal, and an additional means projecting intothe path of the carriers inserted therein which is in position whenmoved by said carrier to engage said trip lever and actuate the same.

. 13. A pneumatic despatch apparatus including a terminal having aninlet tube, a main valve for closing the same, a weighted member forclosing said main valve after it has been opened, an exhaust connection,a cylinder, a piston therein, means operated by the piston forcontrolling the action of the weighted member for closing the mainvalve, a conduit from the upper end of the cylinder through a valvechamber to the exhaust convalve nection, a valve for closing saidcommuni-,

cation which is provided with a downwardly extending stem, a pivotedtrip lever with one arm extending in position when, actuated to elevatethe valve stem and open the air outlet valve, a paddle fulcrumed withinthe terminal in position to be moved out of the path of the carrier bythe air passing through the terminal, a projection on said paddleengaging said trip lever and actuating the same to open the air out-letvalve after the paddle leaves the vertical position and starts downwardacross the passageway through the terminal, and a stop pivotally mountedoutside the passageway in said terminal and opposite said paddle andadapted by gravity to project into the path of the carrier and arrangedso that the carrier will force it out of said path but after the carrierpasses it will fall back and catch the carrier.

if it should return into the terminal.

14:. A pneumatic despatch apparatus including a terminal having an inlettube, a main valve for closing the same, a weighted member for closingsaid main valve after it has been opened, an exhaust connection, a

cylinder, a piston therein, means operated by the piston for controllingthe action of the weighted member for closing the main valve, a conduitfrom the upper end of the cylinder through a valve chamber to theexhaust connection, a valve for closing said communication which isprovided with a downwardly extending stem, a pivoted trip lever with onearm extending in position 'within the terminal in after the paddleleaves whenactuated to elevate the valve stem and open the air inletvalve, a paddle fulcrumed position to be moved outiofthe path of thecarrier by the air passing through the terminal, a projection on saidtrip lever and said paddle engaging actuating the same to open the airvalve the vertical position and starts downward across the passagewaythrough the terminal, ing said paddle in its open position.

15. A pneumatic despatch apparatus inand means for clampeluding aterminal having an inlet tube, a 7

main valve for closing the same, means for closing said main valve, apaddle nu,

passageway into the terminal adapted to catch a returning carrier, andmeans for holding said paddle, trip and stop out of the passagewaythrough the terminal.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presenceof the witnesses herein named.

, THOMAS BEMIS. \Vitnesses:

G. H. BOINK, O. M. MOLAUGHLIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. M

